Present automatic mail processing machinery have optical character readers which can read certain address indicia printed in a preselected mailing address read area on the front of an envelope. The mailing address read area has an upper read area limit spaced a preselected distance above the lower edge of the envelope, and the upper read area limit, even on minimum size envelopes, is spaced a substantial distance below the upper edge of the envelope to allow an upper area on the front of the envelope for a return address and for postage. After the optical character reader has read the mailing address, it will print a bar code representing at least the zip code in a bar code read area on the front of the envelope, which bar code read area is below the mailing address read area and extends along the lower right edge of the envelope a preselected height and width. The bar code printed by the optical character reader is used in bar code sorters and the like in further automated processing of the mail.
It is known to provide two-way or re-mailable mailing envelopes. Some two-way envelopes such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 690,500; 1,373,512; 3,270,948; 3,558,040 and 4,445,635, provide envelopes with a short flap on the upper edge of the front panel of the envelope adapted to be folded over and sealed to the rear panel of the envelope in the first mailing of the envelope, and a short flap on the upper edge of the rear panel of the envelope adaped to be folded over and sealed to the front panel on the envelope for re-mailing. The short re-mailing flap on such envelopes only covers the upper return address and postage area on the front of the envelope. Difficulties are encountered if such envelopes are processed during return mailing by automatic mail processing machines since the original mailing address and any bar code applied to the envelope by optical character readers during the initial mailing, remains exposed on the front of the envelope. Some other two-way envelopes such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,064,302; 4,308,987; 4,332,346 and 4,382,539 provide envelopes with a short flap on the upper edge of one of the side panels of the envelope and a long flap on the upper edge of the other of the side panels of the envelope, with the large flap being dimensioned to substantially cover a side panel of the envelope when it is folded thereover. Still other two-way envelopes such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,201,538 and 2,527,925 provide a closed flap on only the lower edge of the rear panel of the envelope. The closure flap is tucked into the envelope during the first mailing and is dimensioned to cover that front panel of the envelope and the addresses thereon during return mailing. Use of large flaps sufficient to cover the entire side of an envelope substantially increases the amount of material required to produce the re-mailable envelope. Further, when the large flap is used as the return mailing closure flap, it must be tucked into the envelope pocket during the initial mailing. If the large return flap is tucked into the envelope pocket in an unfolded condition, it is difficult to withdraw from the envelope pocket for use in re-mailing. The large return flaps are sometimes folded upon themselves and inserted into the pocket in the envelope. While this facilitates withdrawal of a return flap from the pocket, it presents some difficulties during insertion of enclosures into the envelope particularly by automatic insertion machines prior to the original mailing.
In two-way mailing envelopes of the type which have a return flap tucked into the envelope pocket during the first mailing, some problems have been encountered in cutting or otherwise damaging the return flap during opening of the envelope by the original addressee. In some prior two-way mailing envelopes, for example disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,064,302 and 3,558,040, the front panel was made higher than the rear panel so that it could be torn off or cut off without damaging the return flap.